FTP3.1 Impact of Covid-19 on Emergency Laparotomies due to Cancer
Aisha Ehsan, Anum Javed, Helen Anderson, Prateesh Trivedi- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
To study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of emergency laparotomies for bowel cancer.
Methods
Emergency laparotomies undertaken at St Peter’s Hospital (SPH) from August 2018 to August 2021 were identified. Pre-Covid era (PCE) was defined as August 2018 to January 2020; Covid-19 era (CE) was defined as February 2020 to August 2021. Electronic records were examined to identify the indication for surgery (cancer vs non cancer), length of stay and mortality. Patients undergoing multiple laparotomies in a single admission were only counted once.
Results
The total number of emergency laparotomies was 473 (PCE= 233, CE = 240). Emergency cancer laparotomy numbers in CE were significantly increased compared to PCE (68 vs. 44, p-value <0.05). CE emergency cancer laparotomy patients had a longer median length of stay. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (PCE 9 vs. CE 8 days).
Conclusion
There were an increased number of emergency laparotomies for cancer during CE. Possible causes include not presenting due to national lockdown and concerns regarding COVID-19.
Further regional and nationwide data needs to be studied to establish whether this finding has been replicated on a wider scale or whether it is a local issue. Further analysis of data to determine the TNM staging will be useful to see the level of disease pathology.